The Daughters of Egypt
by XxThe Daughters of The NilexX
Summary: Long ago, before the rising of the Mummy known as Imhotep, he was married and had a family. But what made him like the Imhotep we know today? Has he always been like that? The first installation of saga tells the story of his wife, the eldest daughter of Pharaoh Seti I and High Priestess of Isis, and her cousin, the priestess of Ma'at.
1. Chapter 1

It had been a long six months, but her initial training at the Temple of Isis was finally over, and she was free to go home, although she had to return to the temple a few times a year, but she was mostly free to live at home. It wasn't too much longer before the carriage stopped and the 13 year old daughter of Pharaoh Set I stepped out, taking the offered hand and walked into the palace.

Neferure, Sekmet's cousin who had just arrived a few days before her cousin from her training in the temple of Ma'at waited beside her uncle, the pharaoh, to see her cousin after such a long travel. Her eyes traveled from side to side as she waited for her cousin, she caught eyes of the guards and a few priests but took little to no notice of them. Her mind was preoccupied upon see her cousin again.

"The carriage has arrived." A servant told the Pharaoh as he bowed down before the royals.

"Finally she is home, even if for a brief time." Seti smiled as he looked towards the entrance of the throne room, waiting patiently for his daughter to walk in.

It wasn't long before the guards opened the doors of the throne room upon seeing the princess. She walked in and gave a respectful bow to her father as always before straighten back up. "Father." She greeted.

"Sekmet." the pharaoh smiled as he stood and went to hug his daughter. "It seems you have been gone much longer, it is good to see you again my child. We have many things to discuss, many new people in the court, though you just arrived and need rest, the duties of our family never cease."

Sekmet smiled and hugged her father back. "Oh?" She was curious about the new people in the court, but didn't think too much of it, she hadn't really seen anyone that she didn't recognize, and she had only been gone for six months. She also wondered how her siblings were doing, but she supposed that she would find out later.

* * *

Neferure watched as her uncle and cousin were happily reunited. She smiled as the Pharaoh led her down the hall. Trying to hold back a small yawn, she carefully retreated backwards hoping she could take a nap before greeting her cousin. Though she knew Sekmet must be tired as well.

She was half way to her room when she stopped and turned around and came face to face with the guard that was following her. She was tired and unamused, so needless to say this poor guard picked the wrong day to follow her. "Unless you are about to tuck me into bed, which I do not need whatsoever, I suggest you stop following me to my room before I report you to my uncle." Neferure said through a yawn trying to keep her eyes open.

19 year old Amun had just come back two days ago from visiting his younger brother at the temple, which was a good week travel away from the palace, and was assigned to stand guard in the throne room for the time being. He first started training to be a guard when he was 16, and finished his training officially last year. He hadn't been following her, the way to the training grounds just happened to be down the way she was going. "My apologies if it seems that way, but I assure you, I am not following you." He said. "This is the way to the training grounds."

Neferure shrugged, not really sure she heard him correctly. "Just don't let it happen again guard...whatever your name is, I may not be a princess like my cousin but my uncle is the Pharaoh and I'm too tired to even argue with anyone." she sighed putting a hand on her forehead.

Amun blinked for a moment, not sure of what he just heard, but she did sound tired. "Are you sure you're feeling well?" He asked. She may not be a charge of his, but he also didn't want to just walk on and she not make it to her room because she passed out somewhere.

Neferure shook her head ever so slightly and leaned against a wall. She was beyond tired, she was exhausted. She was so anxious to see her cousin she had very little sleep the past three nights. Now her body was paying her back for it.

"Would you like me to escort you to your room?" He asked. "To make sure you actually get there?"

"I think I may fall asleep here...I feel dizzy." she mumbled as she tried to move forward but stumbled and was losing her balance. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Five Years Later**

It had been almost two weeks since Jabri died. Once Amun learned of his father's death, his murder, he quickly sent word to Imhotep, he didn't know if his brother would come back home for the long run or not, as he had been a High Priest of Osiris for two years now, raising through the ranks at the temple he left for seven years ago. The High Priest of Osiris at the temple here in Thebes was getting older, and there was a lot of things he couldn't do anymore, and as he got older, he preferred being away from people. But he and his priests however, did mummify his father's body, and the funeral was to be held when Imhotep got home, so all of Jabri's sons could be together. Imhotep was expected to arrive any day now.

They had caught the man that killed him, and he was currently in the dungeons, and Amun all of a sudden found himself promoted, thrown into his father's role as the head of the guard at the fresh age of 24. He sighed a bit as he rubbed his face.

Amun had already given daily orders to the guards, and then he had to go meet up with the Pharaoh, the current High Priest of Osiris, Abasi and his younger brothers, Bakari, Seth and Hamadi in the throne room. He wasn't sure what they had to discuss, but he knew it had to involve his father. He was the last one in and gave a bow to the Pharaoh as he did so.

* * *

Neferure traveled along with Imhotep, as the priestess of Ma'at, the goddess of justice, she would be the human vessel for the god, as the pharaoh passed sentence of the murder. Imhotep held steadfast as he drove the carriage faster and faster in the direction of the palace. Neferure had no doubt in her mind that his heart was heavy with grief and he would want revenge.

The carriage stopped and Neferure encouraged Imhotep to go in. He ran ahead of her as she walked trying not to cause any sense of urgency with the other servants of the palace. Not an easy thing to do when more then likely everyone knew there was a murder. Imhotep walked through the doors and saw the pharaoh was already discussing the situation with his brothers and the current high priest. Within a few minutes Neferure came to his side and nudged him in.

Amun and the others looked up when they came into the throne room. "Uncle, the funeral is tomorrow, shall the trial take place after that?" Neferure spoke up in soft tone not wanting to offend her uncle.

Nodding. Seti looked around the room. So much had happened and he knew that this would not end well for anyone in the court. With one murder, there would be gossip that other would turn to killing to get their foot in the palace on kill the pharaoh himself. Killing the head of the guard was sending a message.

"Imhotep, Neferure you know what must be done. I will retire for now and take council with my other advisers. If you need me do not hesitate to come." The Pharaoh said as he stood and left with his six advisers.

Neferure felt uneasy but nodded in agreement with her uncle. Though it was her job to bring peace at this moment she wasn't sure how to do that. Instead she watched as Imhotep went to his brothers and said five words. "I want to know everything." Imhotep with his voice as cold as stone.

Amun gave a nod to his younger brother. "Let's take it out to the courtyard." He didn't any spying ears, and half the guard was usually assigned around the throne room, while only a handful in the courtyard.

He turned and made his way out there, tell the two guards at the door to go take a break. It still felt strange to be giving orders, as his father had been head guard for Amun's entire life, and he had only been in the position for two weeks, but they listened to him.

Amun sighed and turned to his brother once they were gone. "It was the end of the day, papa had just given orders to the night guard, and we were on our way to meet the others," He referred the others as their younger brothers, all three guards themselves, though Seth was still in training. "To visit mama." Their mother had died in childbirth with Seth, and Seth himself had almost not lived. So now, all the brothers had left, were each other.

"From out of nowhere, a cloaked figure came and just stabbed him."

"No motive? The man just came out of nowhere and stabbed him? Amun, this must have been planned, you know that as well as I do. This murder had to have had help, Papa never did the same thing twice so someone had to have been following him." Imhotep sighed.

"We haven't been able to get anything out of him." Barkari spoke up. "We've questioned him everyday, nothing." He shook his head. "We even tried torturing, he's not budging."

Amun looked at Barkari and then back to Imhotep with a nod. "Yeah, we're thinking he's a hitman, but we don't know who sent him."

"We need to question him, right after the funeral. I will go and help the high priest prepare for tomorrow. Since you are the head guard now do not go anywhere alone brother. Keep a watchful eye and since I will be busy tonight, watch after Neferure. If anyone killed her, I'd hate to think how the pharaoh would take that." Imhotep said taking a deep breath and then taking off to help the high priest of Osiris and see his father for the first time since his death.

* * *

Neferure waited far enough away that she didn't hear what had happened. After all one of the 42 rules of Ma'at was not to eavesdrop. Though she hated that rule, she knew she would be given all the facts when the time was right. Sighing she looked down at her orange gown and tried to think of what would be the best course of action at least for tonight.

She saw Imhotep walking off, judging by the look on his face he needed time to himself. Sighing she tried to think of what to do when she saw the new head of guard walking her way...and she couldn't remember his name. Great way to start her first assignment as the high priestess of Ma'at.

"I am very sorry about your father, I know nothing I can say or do will help ease this pain, but please know I will make sure the murder is punished to the full extent of what the Pharaoh will allow." Neferure spoke softly in a calm and caring tone.

Amun nodded. "I do not doubt that." He sighed. "He's with my mother now, and knowing that, helps a litte."

"You were the guard that helped me five years ago, I knew you looked familiar." Neferure said with very small smile also trying to distract him from the fact she couldn't remember his name.

"I am." He nodded. "I'm Amun." He added as an afterthought, as he had an inkling.

"Yeah, I don't think I asked you that before I passed out. I'm Neferure. Horrible time for introductions but anyway, I cannot eavesdrop since it is against the rules of my goddess, could you please tell me what happened?" Neferure asked nervously only to realize that may offend him. "Unless you don't want to, I would never force someone to speak."

"I know." He gave a small smile and nodded. Then he shook his head. "We're not too sure. We think the man that did it is a hitman, we just don't know who sent him. He won't talk."

"He can lie to us all he want's, he cannot lie to the gods. He may have an earthly death but in the afterlife know the gods will give him a far more just punishment then we ever could." Neferure said as she touched Amun's arm to show him comfort but when she feels a spark she resists the urge to pull back.Horrible timing Hathor!

"I know. Thank you." He told her softly, having had felt the same thing.

* * *

Abasi meanwhile, had just gotten back to the temple, grumbling under his breath. The priests under him saw him coming and quickly got back to work.

Imhotep saw the high priest was agitated and went up to him. "What troubles you Abasi?" Imhotep spoke up crossing his arms before the high priest showing he did not fear the old priest.

Abasi glanced over to the younger high priest. "Everything." He shook his head. "I can't stand this place anymore. I'm getting old. People are starting to annoy me more. It's too loud.

"Annoy you? You are preparing a murdered man for the underworld and you think to complain about that? If we annoy you that much then please ask the Pharaoh to be replaced, I am sure he would have no problem retiring you." Imhotep said a bit annoyed with the old priest.

"The dead doesn't bother me." Abasi said. "It's most of the living." He nodded. "And I did. Four years ago. There wasn't anyone to replace me."

"I will replace you then. Then you can never be annoyed again. How can I help prepare my father?" Imhotep said trying to end the conversation.

Abasi nodded. "We did start the mummification process already, since we knew that it would be a couple weeks before the funeral, and we didn't want him to decay." He said, starting to walk, leading the younger high priest towards the preparation room. "But other than that, there's still a few things left to do." He told him as they entered.

Imhotep went to work, he hated doing this work on his own father but he knew it needed to be done. Who better than himself to make sure the ritual was done correctly. Completely ignoring the others in the room, he followed through on the list of things to do with his father's body.


	3. Chapter 3

Directly after the funeral, Amun quietly followed his younger brothers into the throne room, where some of his guards had already brought the criminal out from the dungeons, two of the guards standing between him, one had each arm, holding him down, as he did try to run before they brought him up.

Neferure stood far out of the way but was still able to see everything that was happening. Imhotep went up to the man and grabbed him by the jaw. This wasn't going to be an easy process.

"You have one chance, one chance to tell the truth before I take you tongue from your mouth and feed it to the crocodiles in the Nile." Imhotep threatened.

Neferure put her hand over her mouth, she didn't want to imagine that.

Amun sighed, knowing that wasn't allowed. "Brother." He gave a warning, before seeing that the pharaoh had arrived.

The Pharaoh walked in and everyone bowed. Raising his hand, everyone returned to their positions. "I quite agree with Imhotep, tell or I will ensure he keeps that promise." The pharaoh spoke in a commanding tone.

Neferure had not been through torture training and her stomach was quickly becoming her enemy if that threat came into play.

That would just be giving the man what he wanted. If his tongue was taken, he wouldn't have to talk at all. He watched as everyone came in and paled a bit at seeing one of the advisors.

"Pharaoh, does he not need his tongue to profess the truth, take something more precious and perhaps a bit lower?" Neferure tried to whisper but she was sure everyone could hear her, including the prisoner who immediately tried to cross his legs.

The Pharaoh couldn't help but grin at his niece's comment. She knew how to scare the prisoner with just a sentence, though that sentence is one any man should fear. "Well you do have a point priestess." The Pharaoh said referring to Neferure's title not name. In truth he didn't want the prisoner to know her name.

.

The prisoner shot a glare at the young priestess as some people couldn't hold in their laughter. One of those in which was the advisor that the prisoner looked so scared of earlier, and Amun noticed the same look on the prisoners face when he looked back at him, and noticed a string of looks going on between the two. Amun narrowed his eyes, highly suspicious. He got the pharaoh's attention and waited until he was addressed.

"Sir, if I may, can I ask why the prisoner seems to look so scared of your advisor, Mahu?" He had a hunch, and wasn't sure if anyone else was as observant as he was and saw the exchange.

Neferure too saw the look and was concerned.

"Mahu? I cannot say, perhaps he was a dismissed servant of his?" the pharaoh said unsure why that would happen.

Neferure watched Mahu and he looked like he was hiding something in his robes. She followed his eyes and they were aimed at Amun. Grabbing Amun's arm with as tight a grip as she could she pulled him and the Pharaoh closer to her.

"He's hiding something in his robe and watching the two of you." Neferure told them.

"Amun, get whatever he is hiding." the pharaoh ordered his head guard.

"I know." Amun murmured. "I've been watching him since he first came in." His voice was low. "There's something up." He couldn't help but inch his hand closer to the sword at his side.

He nodded at the Pharaoh's words and nodded to the two guards that were standing behind him, and those two gripped him before he could even think about moving. Amun, with his hand still on his sword, walked over to Mahu and opened his robes and got what the man was hiding. A dagger. "If I had to guess, I think he was planning on using this." He said, holding it up for all to see.

Mahu then began to chuckle for no reason. Everyone looked at him shocked, why was he suddenly laughing? Did he just lose his mind? He then took a knife that he had hidden in his sleeves and slashed at the guards holding him and pushed past Amun.

"All you royals are the same, think you are living gods! Ha! Look at the goddess of Justice, an orphan whose mother died by another hand and her father was a no one! You are all human and are able to die! Not even your guards can protect you!" Mahu said as he made a mad dash for the pharaoh.

Neferure however pushed her uncle out of the way and received a punch to her stomach, knocking the breath out of her body, but she held strong before her uncle. However teh adviser isn't done yet, he pulls out a knife from his robes.

"Death to the royals!" Mahu yelled again as he ran towards Neferure and the pharaoh.

.

Amun had been knocked over, which was surprising, as Mahu was a small thing, but he quickly just back up to his feet and ran and getting his sword out and slashed at Mahu's Achilles tendons, bringing him to the ground, and then tackled him, before taking a dagger and stabbed it completely through his hand. "I dare you to try that again." He kneed him, where he couldn't get up before looking to his younger guard brothers and the other guards. "Thanks for the help." He muttered sarcastically.

"Neferure!" The pharaoh grabbed her trying to keep her held up as she tried to catch her breath.

How the heck could someone that scrawny be able to knock the wind out of her? She grabbed onto her uncle, trying to just calm her body and be able to breathe again.

"You'll all die! If not by my hand but by another. I only took breath this time! next will be life!" Mahu yelled at the top of his lungs.

"KILL HIM!" the pharaoh demanded as he held his niece. Neferure coughed hard as she held onto her uncle. What the hell had that man done to her?

Amun shrugged at the pharaoh's words and took his dagger and slit his throat. He hadn't technically really killed anyone like that before, but it was orders, and he had hurt her, so, he complied, and only got up when he felt the man stop breathing. He wasn't his problem anymore.

Seeing that Neferure pushed from her uncle and ran to a corner and became sick. she had never seen something like that and her stomach gave it to its natural reaction. The pharaoh went to the prisoner.

"That is you if you don't answer! No I will have you pulled apart, limb by limb, you can cry, yell and beg but none will hear you! Confess!' The pharaoh yelled at the prisoner.

The prisoner just stared at where Amun had just killed his 'employer' and didn't want that to happen to him. He didn't meet the pharaoh's eyes or the high priests whom was just in front of him. "Mahu hired me to kill Jabri. And was blackmailing me to kill you." His voice almost wasn't heard.

"He is now dead, you are still guilty of killing my head guard. Your employer assulted the priestess of Ma'at. She and the eldest son of the man you killed will determine how you died, for in my eyes and the eyes of the gods you are guilty. Any others like you will too suffer the same punishment." The pharaoh said and then turned to his advisers. "Take him to the pity, no honors shall be buried with his body nor will he be mummified." That was a cruel fate to any Egyptian.

.

Amun on the other hand, went to check on Neferure. She felt Amun behind her and grabbed onto him. She hid her eyes because she couldn't look away from the man whose throat he had just slit open. She didn't fear Amun, but the blood had a different affect on her stomach.

Amun carefully wrapped one arm around her. "Are you okay?" He asked gently. He watched as Mahu's body was dragged away.

"I've never seen so much blood." Neferure cried as she grasped him tighter.

Amun grimaced a little, since he was the one who had killed him. "Sorry about that."

"I know you were following orders but I never thought there was so much evil in the world, I didn't know that man yet he knew so much about me. All because my blood is royal, how many others are willing to kill me because of mu blood." Neferure asked as she looked to Amun with tears in her eyes.

Amun didn't have an answer for that. "I honestly don't know." He murmured, as cleared the tears with his thumbs.


	4. Chapter 4

Around two weeks later, the pharaoh had sent some guards to go retrieve his children, as the year for Sekmet had ended. Once their carriage had arrived, a servant went and let the pharaoh know of their arrival.

A guard stood outside the carriage and held out a hand to let the princes and princesses out, and then the High Priestess and her priestesses. Sekmet let her siblings run on ahead of her, and they quickly ran to the throne room to greet their father.

Sekmet walked more slowly. She had brought four of her priestesses back with her. Since priests and priestesses of Isis were healers and midwives, they could help when needed. Sekmet wore a red gown and gold colored hooded robes, while her priestesses wore cobalt blue dresses with gold stitching and black robes, all colors of their goddess. She also wore braids in her hair, her natural hair, as she didn't like wigs, and never wore them.

The guards opened the doors to let the five priestesses in and each of them bowed once in front of the pharaoh. "Father." Sekmet greeted with a small smile.

"Sekmet, you have returned. You look to be in good health. How was the journey home?" The pharaoh asked as he stood.

"It was okay. Ramses kept us entertained." She said, hiding a bemused smile, the youngest child of the Pharaoh was something else, he loved to cause chaos, and when he wasn't, loved to play, although they always joked that trouble found Ramses, instead of the other way around.

"I am sure he did, I have requested a meeting this afternoon and I would like for you and Neferure to attend, no doubt she has forgotten the day and that you have returned home. You should surprise her but be gentle, she had a scare not too long ago." The pharaoh sighed as he looked out to his kingdom.

"Will do." She nodded. "Then I will get my priestesses settled in the infirmary." She studied her father for a moment, she had always been close to him, and she felt that something was off. "Papa?" She used the informal name since there wasn't an audience. "Are you okay?"

"Child, many things trouble me but none to trouble you. I am fine, you are home safe with you siblings. Now go and unpack, check on your cousin and I will explain more this afternoon. Trust me Sekmet, all will be well." the pharaoh smiled as his daughter.

She nodded and hugged her father before leaving the throne room, her priestesses following her. She first went to go check on her cousin. She was walking down the hall when she heard books from the library, and she stopped and back up, and had to dodge books and lightly cleared her throat.

* * *

Neferure threw book after book behind her completely unaware of what day it was. She was on the hunt for answers, she wanted to know what the strange feeling was whenever she touched or even talked to Amun now. It was driving her mad. She had even seen him kill a man but this new feeling or whatever it was would not go away. "Ugh so frustrating! What is this darn feeling! I want it to go away! Its distracting!" Neferure sighed as she plopped down on a chair.

Sekmet raised a brow as she leaned in the doorway. "Problems, cousin?"

"Ugh oh! Sekmet! You came back today!" neferure said jumping up. "I wasn't there to greet you! Oh I am so sorry! I just I am so confused by the emotions going on in my head, torso and stomach region. I truly think I might be near death."

Sekmet smiled. "It's okay. Don't worry about it." She shook her head. "What's going on with you?" She asked, a bit concerned, but then again, serving the goddess of healing, made her like that when someone said anything like that.

* * *

Imhotep was now the new high priest of Osiris, however he had been with his brother at the training grounds. The pharaoh wanted to speak to them privately this afternoon and he wanted to know if Amun knew what to expect.

"Do you know why the Pharaoh wishes to speak with us?" Imhotep asked his older brother.

Amun shook his head. "No, not at all."

"Have you been flirting with any of the servants? You know the Pharaoh doesn't like that, he will punish anyone for doing that." Imhotep told his older brother.

Amun snorted. "No. I'm not Barkari." He then stared at Imhotep. "I thought I told him to stop doing that."

"Oh I forgot, you have your eyes on a priestess." Imhotep said with a raised eyebrow.

Amun refused to meet his younger brother's gaze as he simply walked ahead.

"Amun! Get back here or I will go tell her right now!" Imhotep smiled and ran after his brother.

Amun abruptly stopped. "You wouldn't."

"The last place I saw her I believe was the library...it's not too far from here." Imhotep said as he turned on his heel.

Amun watched his brother for a moment before sighing and going after him.

"Just admit it and I won't say a word." Imhotep called to his older brother. He stopped right outside the library as his brother caught up with him and he could hear two female voices.

"I am not going to admit anything." He said, he hadn't know his brother stopped and almost ran into him. He noticed the four priestesses outside the door, he was confused for a moment, priestesses of whose?

* * *

"Don't be mad or judge me but, whenever I am near Amun or touch him, I get this strange spark, a weird feeling in my stomach and my heart starts to beat fast. Dear cousin he is going to kill me." Neferure sighed and fell back on the chair dramatically.

Sekmet couldn't keep a straight face and laughed a bit. "Oh, I'm sorry." She said, getting a hold of herself. "That means you like him. I've heard people refer to that feeling as butterflies once."

"Sekmet! Are you telling me I LIKE AMUN?! THAT IS THIS STRANGE FEELING?!" Neferure practically yelled in shock at her cousin.

* * *

"I think she just admitted it brother." Imhotep smiled then looks to the priestesses. "Greetings priestesses of Isis, I take it your lady is in there with the priestess of Ma'at?"

The four priestesses nodded, giving a polite greeting. "Yes, she is." One of them spoke.

The High Priestess slash princess had to cover her ears. "Neferure! Please, tone it down a bit."

"Yeah, so I hear." Amun sighed.

"That's it I am going to go drown myself in the Nile!" Neferure said and then ran out of the room in tears.

"Did she just say she was going to drown herself?" Imhotep asked skeptical if she would really do it.

"No, wait! Neferure!" Sekmet attempted to follow. "Don't do that." She sighed, before shaking her head and noticed the brothers. She had only known Amun because of Imhotep, once upon a time, their mother's had been best friends, and so, she pretty much grew up with him. She raised a brow as she looked at Amun. "Well, do you want to go stop her?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'll, I'll go do that." The guard nodded, going in the direction that Neferure had gone in.

* * *

"You do not think she will really do that...do you?" Imhotep questioned with his hand on his chin in a thinking manner. "Amun would be distraught to know the woman he loves killed herself for liking him. Also, Welcome home Sekmet, high priestess of Isis."

"No." She shook her head. "She technically may not hold a royal title, but no one can convince me that she's not a drama queen." She shook her head. "Don't tell her I said that." She said as an afterthought. She gave a small smile upon his greeting. "Imhotep. Long time no see." She figured that it had been seven years, which also didn't seem that long ago, and it did at the same time.

"You have a new title, new clothes and new hand maids to follow you. The title suits you well priestess. I am sure your father is quite happy to have you home. The palace has missed its crazy princesses." Imhotep joked with her showing a small smile.

"Since when have I been crazy?" Though she had to admit, as a child, she was a very energic little thing, often dragging her friends out on 'adventures', and by that, it was mostly him. But as she grew into a teenager, she became more mature, and wise, but of course, by that time, he had already left for the temple.

"I remember your adventures as you called them when you were a child, my memory is still good for the moment. Though I must say in age in beauty you have truly flourished." Imhotep smiled as he bowed before her.

"And I don't remember you complaining too much when I dragged you along." She smiled a bit with that tease.

"It was always a fun adventure with you, especially when we had to hide from your crazy aunt." he chuckled.

"Oh, heavens, don't remind me." She muttered. "Walk and talk?" She had to get her priestesses settled in the infirmary, as that's where they would be spending a lot of time as healers and midwives.

"Yes, I do have a meeting with your father this afternoon though." Imhotep nodded as they began their walk.

"So, you too then." She commented. Her priestess followed her at a distance.

"Yes, he requested to see Amun and myself. You are going as well?" Imhotep asked confused.

"Yes. And my cousin. He told me when I got home." She tilted her head a bit. "What does that father of mine have up his sleeve now?" She murmured. It wasn't long before they reached the infirmary, where she let her priestesses get settled.

"Hmm, I'm not sure but the Pharaoh is wise, I am sure whatever he wants to tell us is worthwhile." Imhotep said with confidence in the Pharaoh .

"Yeah." She looked over her priestesses, "I suppose it's about time to head to the throne room."


	5. Chapter 5

Neferure ran as fast as her feet could take her. How could she like Amun? She barely knew him and then with one touch, her heart couldn't stop beating so fast she feared it would stop forever! What was wrong with her? Did everyone experience this? she couldn't help but wonder as she cried.

It didn't take much for Amun to find her. "Neferure." He said gently.

Neferure froze, who just called her name? Was it Sekmet chasing after her? No the voice sounded male. Turning around she was mortified when she saw it was Amun chasing after her. Looking up at the sky she sent a silent curse to Hathor, wondering what she had done to deserve wanting to be with a man she barely knew.

He stopped a few feet away from her. "I wanted to make sure that you weren't going to go drown yourself." He said softly. "What's the matter?"

"How is it possible? How even though we know little about one another, how can one touch from you send a spark through my body? One look from you and my heart speeds up, the moment we are close I have a strange feeling in my stomach I can't explain. How can I feel something like that? I must be crazy, no one feels feelings that fast." Neferure cried no doubt making a fool of herself.

Amun listened before shaking his head. "You're not crazy." He told her gently. "I have the same feelings."

"You are just saying that to make me feel better. You don't have to lie Amun, that just makes it worse." Neferure sighed.

"I'm not." He said. "It has been something I've felt since I first met you."

Neferure walked right up to Amun and looked him in the eyes. She wanted to see if he was lying and that Sekmet just hadn't sent him to make sure she didn't keep to her threat, which she wouldn't have anyway.

"So what does it mean?"

"I don't know." He replied honestly. "I guess this is something we're just going to have to figure out." He said. "Together."

Neferure's eyes widened. She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Together, yes, your right. Oh it's almost time to meet my uncle, oh no what if he finds out about this?" she asked in a sudden panic.

"We don't have to say anything until you want to."

"I can't lie, it's in my priestess training. I don't want to keep it a secret either. That would be disrespectful to you and myself. I prefer to be honest and true." Neferure said as she offered her hand to him. "Together?"

"Together." He nodded, accepting her hand.

* * *

The pharaoh waited in the throne room when everyone came in a almost the same time. First Imhotep and Sekmet followed by Amun and Neferure. This seemed to be a good sign for what he had in mind. "Daughter, Niece, High priest, Guard. Save the formalities." He knew they were about to bow as he stood.

"My best guard was killed, here in my home, another of our family was attacked in front of my eyes so I had him killed on the spot. None of us are ever truly safe. However I will do all in my power to keep you as safe as I can. In one year, Sekmet you will take Imhotep as your husband and he will take you as his wife. The priest of Osiris marrying the priestess of Isis. Neferure, the priestess of Ma'at you will marry Amun, the most trusted guard I have in this kingdom, by doing this perhaps I can protect you more then I could others. What have any of you to say?"

Imhotep stood frozen for a moment but did not argue. he waited to see if anyone else would talk as did Neferure.

Sekmet was speechless. Did she just hear what she thought she just heard? And what was this about the family being attacked and why was she just now hearing about that? She had known Jabri had been killed, her siblings told her that when they were sent to her, the other stuff was news to her. She had too many questions, and no words to speak them. At least she didn't have to marry a complete stranger.

"I accept my Pharaoh." Neferure said as she bowed and knelt to the ground.

Imhotep saw this and he didn't have to question the Pharaoh he knew what he was talking about, he was there after all. Bowing down Imhotep also said "I accept my Pharaoh."

The Pharaoh then looked back to Sekmet and Amun. "And you two?: he questioned, his patience running thin.

Amun nodded. "I accept as well." He bowed down.

Sekmet nodded after the others. "I knew this was coming sooner or later, but its not a complete stranger, so I thank you for that." She nodded. "I accept." She said, before giving a bow.

"Good, then its agree however you have one year to change your mind. Go now, i must be with my thoughts." the pharaoh said and waved them off.

Neferure stood and went to the door. She had just agreed to marriage, to a man she liked but didn't know very well. Well she had a year to know for sure, however did Sekmet even know Imhotep at all?

Sekmet nodded and followed her cousin out the door.

* * *

A few hours later, Sekmet caught up with her cousin. "Hey."

"Hey, so that was...interesting." Neferure shrugged

"Very." Sekmet nodded. "Shocking."

"You know that your father would want us to marry eventually...however right after coming back from temple is a bit shocking I agree, but he had his reasons." Neferure said as she went and sat on the fountain gently playing with the water's surface with her fingertips. "They are not bad matches cousin, at least did you know Imhotep before all of this?"

"I did." She nodded, taking a seat on the bench. "I've known him since before I could talk. Our mothers were best friends and we grew up together." She explained. "But today was the first time that I had seen him in seven years. He was 12 and I was 11 when he left for the temple. "

"I've met Amun once before I went to temple. I passed out in his arms, I was so tired from my studies I couldn't even make it to my room. Never did I think he'd be my future husband." Neferure said as she continued to play with the water. "Next they will want children."

"He's just going to have to wait a while." Sekmet shrugged. "For when the time is right." Isis was a fertility goddess. Her goddess would let her know when the time was right.

"Wonder what they are doing right now..." Neferure sighed as she looked to Sekmet. "I was the reason for this, one of the advisers hired a hitman to kill Amun and Imhotep's father, he suceeded and when was brought in for questioning the advisor who hired him went to attack your father but I blocked him with my body. After that your father ordered him dead and Amun slit his throat."

"That's why papas been acting so strange." She shook her head. "He wouldn't say anything when I asked, and I was beginning to worry about him." She murmured. She looked to her cousin on that sentence. "Are you okay?"

"I've had horrible nightmares, I've woken up in a sweat and crying. I've come out here many nights and just cried because there was nothing I could do. I cannot unsee what I have seen. However I do not fear Amun for what he did, quite the opposite actually, I feel safer with him, more protected." Neferure stated honestly.

Sekmet nodded as she listened to her, that made sense, but she didn't have any words to say, but what could she say to that?

"Amun is never too far away from me, he's about three doors down I would say. I think he feels responsible for what I feel but that's not true. Every time I see him, the fear goes away and the other feeling takes over." Neferure says as she sits up. "Death will happen, I know that, just seeing it so close will take me a while to lessen the blow."

"I could imagine how that would, but I've never experienced anything of that magnitude." She had been there with her mother when she died in childbirth, but it wasn't something she liked to talk about, and it wasn't violent like that.

"Amun are you there or did Imhotep finally make you get some rest?" Neferure called out unsure if he was really there. "I wouldn't want anyone to imagine it."

Sekmet looked around, but didn't see anyone.

"I guess he's not there." Neferure sighed disappointed and a little embarrassed.

Sekmet offered a small smile. "It's okay." She said, studying her. "When's the last time you actually got some sleep?"

Neferure shrugged. "No clue."

"You should at least try." She glanced up and saw it was getting darker. "And if you need, I have a herbal remedy that may help." She stood up. "I'm going to go get ready for bed myself. It's been a long day."

"No, but thanks I prefer to have what wits I have about me. I'll pray again before I sleep. Sleep well cousin." Neferure said as she stood and walked to her room.

"Okay, I'll see you later." Sekmet said, heading to her bedroom.


End file.
